The instant invention relates generally to toys, and more particularly to a child's toy which is amusing due to the erratic or unpredictable behavior of the toy which comprises a toy ball which does not follow a straight path in flight.
Toy balls comprising an inner member and an outer member designed such that the inner member can move within the outer member whereby the ball's path of movement is erratic or unpredictable are old and well known in the art. For example, one U.S. patent discloses a game ball having an outer member wherein a smaller metal ball is operably positioned such that the latter can move along specific axes of the outer member to thereby erratically influence its path of movement. Another U.S. patent discloses a toy ball comprising an outer member or sphere wherein a metal ball is operably positioned and confined to movement across the diameter of the sphere. As inherent in their design, those particular devices can only produce a limited amount of erratic motion since the inner member is allowed only to move along certain fixed desired paths within the outer member. Moreover, the erratic balls of those patents are constructed of materials which are not significantly resilient so as to produce a considerable amount of unpredictable behavior, such as would be experienced by having the inner member totally free to move within a hollow outer member. Although another U.S. patent discloses such a design, the amusement device of that particular invention is restricted to its use in a tether ball game device.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide a highly erratic or unpredictable toy ball which exhibits an unpredictable path of movement significantly greater than such toy balls heretofore manufactured and has among its advantages and features the realization of a product which is not only exceptionally amusing to children, but additionally is quite safe even when torn apart into its elemental portions.